Fashion Man

Tennis players and their apparel have changed drastically over the past one hundred years. This is especially the case for women who once had to play in large bustles and petticoats.

But it isn’t just comfort that tennis players have evolved into, it is also fashion and performance. With new types of performance fabrics being created from fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex – which breathe unlike traditional textiles allowing you to stay cool and dry even during the height of summer, tennis clothing has become functional in addition to fashionable. They are also practical in that these high tech fabrics hold their shape and color much better than their cotton counterparts, allowing you to look good before, during, and after your match, and their high durability will allow you to continue to look good in the future.

While tennis apparel for many years came in the colors of white or white, so that when one sweated it couldn’t be seen – today tennis apparel comes in numerous bright colors and prints. Tennis players are enjoying more and more the versatility they are offered off the court, during warm up and during competition. Most tennis players own a warm-up outfit, which is typically a two piece suit consisting of long pants and a long sleeved top. A warm-up outfit helps the athlete stay warm and get loose before a match, and it is also the traditionally preferred attire for arrival at the court. Tradition also holds that warm-up suits should be removed during the actual match unless it happens to be a very cold day.

Yes, there is still tradition in tennis apparel, despite the evolution of fabrics. What are some of these traditions?  During a match, men should wear tucked shirts and tennis shorts, although more and more the untucked look is becoming a presence in professional and amateur tennis. Women should wear short sleeved or sleeveless shirts paired with skirts or skorts – shorts that have styling that resembles a traditional skirt.

In some places, such as country clubs or in certain countries, proper tennis attire is very important.  It is important to note that the traditional tennis attire is still alive and well in some places, particularly at some tennis and country clubs. If you are invited to play as a guest at a club, check with the club or your host in order to be certain that your tennis clothes are appropriate and fitting with their dress code.

Beyond the regular tennis apparel are the tennis accessories. No tennis outfit is complete without the ever-important accessories. There is the very important tennis shoe. As with most shoes, the tennis shoe is designed specifically for tennis and it is important that you wear such shoes on the court. Not only will such shoes perform better, but they will not have black or dark colored soles, which can leave scuffs on the court and are therefore banned from many courts

And what about the sweatbands, hats, wristbands and such? These too are important as they will keep the sweat out of your face and your hands dry so that you can keep a good grip on your racket. A good sun visor will help protect your eyes from the sun above and shade your face.

Yes, in many ways the apparel and fashion of tennis has evolved and changed and in many ways it is much the same. While there is flexibility in some areas of tennis wear, there is practicality and tradition in others. The most important thing is to be comfortable and enjoy the game.